Something He Should Have Considered
by dysprositos
Summary: After being defeated by the Avengers, Loki ruminates on the true character of the planet he sought to rule. Sequel to "Something to Consider."


A/N: A sequel of sorts to "Something to Consider," which I suggest you read first, or this isn't going to make any sense at all. Actually, I'm not sure it's going to make sense anyway. That said, I do not own the Avengers.

* * *

"If it's all the same to you," Loki said, trying to ignore the throbbing pain in his head, "I'll take that drink now."

No one moved.

After a lengthy silence, Loki, resigned to his thirst and sobriety, spoke again.

"You know," he said conversationally, seemingly oblivious to his immensely tense audience, "this realm is rather strange. Did you know that in this forsaken place they have emasculated their gods?"

In his recently Hulk-smashed state, it seemed both necessary and rather urgent to inform his soon-to-be captors of this. Surely, they didn't understand the character of this awful place that they had pledged to defend. Otherwise, they would not have pledged themselves so. Clearly.

The Avengers looked at him, and then glanced at each other.

Tony broke the silence. "Does anyone have the faintest idea what he's talking about?"

"No," said Steve, "but it might be an attempt to trick us, or throw us off our guard. We shouldn't listen to his lies."

Loki looked at him, making sure to make eye contact. This was serious business. But, oh, how his head was pounding! "I am quite serious. I think you need to know. This land is not _without_ gods, no, far worse. They have stripped the gods of their vigor, their virility."

Glancing at each of the Avengers in turn, he spoke again. "The gods of this realm have been _neutered_," he spat.

"Oh man, he's completely lost it," Tony said, with a slow, dawning horror. "I mean, I thought he'd lost it before, with the trying-to-take-over-the world thing, but wow, this is worse. SO much worse."

Thor cleared his throat. "Brother," he began cautiously, "We must talk, and SHIELD needs to take you into custody—"

"I am not your brother, you fool!" Loki interrupted. "But by all means, take me into custody. Perhaps you can grasp me under my arms and whisk me away, what fun that shall be. I can hardly wait."

Thor was completely confused. This wasn't exactly a foreign situation for him—being confused, that is—but usually he had at least some idea of what his brother was talking about. Right now, though, Loki was making a concerning lack of sense. He surveyed the other Avengers, and they all seemed as lost as he was. Good, then. It wasn't just him.

He was beginning to worry that Banner had done his brother serious, irreparable harm. Certainly, an invalid Loki was safer than a fully functioning Loki, but he had to be sure his brother had the strength and constitution for the trip back to Asgard, if that's what it came to. Thor motioned to the other Avengers that he was going to make a move, and reached out to take his brother's arm.

"DON'T TOUCH ME!" Loki shouted, startling the assembled heroes and, interestingly, himself. "I AM NOT SOME SMALL CREATURE YOU CAN JUST CARRY ABOUT!"

Thor backed off. He looked to his fellow super heroes for support, but found none. Stark looked to be on the brink of hysterical laughter. Rogers wore an expression of dumbfounded vigilance, as if he couldn't decide if he needed to stand down or launch back into hero mode. Romanoff and Barton were furiously whispering, obviously trying to decide what the fuck was going on and what their next move should be. Banner was…still hulked out, apparently, and wasn't going to be much help here. So much for the "team" dynamic.

Perhaps a different approach would be necessary, then.

"Brother, calm yourself. Will you come with us freely, without force?"

"What choice do I have? Free will is a myth, for I am led here and there by this band around my neck, this _collar_ if you will," Loki said. "Take me where you must. This world is a horrid place and it holds nothing for me."

Thor glanced at the other Avengers. They seemed to have composed themselves. The SHIELD agents cautiously restrained Loki, and the whole group transported him to SHIELD's headquarters.

Loki was placed into a holding cell similar to the one he had inhabited aboard the airship. Left to his own devices, he had some time to think. Now that his injuries had begun to heal, and the infernal pounding headache was fading, he was able to assess his situation. First came the self-loathing of another failure, washing over him like a slow, burning wave. Then came fear for what was yet to come, either his punishment on Asgard or at the hands of those he had so grievously failed. 'Something as sweet as pain,' indeed.

Finally… came rage. Blinding, white-hot fury at himself, the Chitauri, the Avengers, at his helplessness, at that fucking woman and her stupid fucking _cat_.

The pressure inside him built to an unbearable level, and then burst. "I AM A GOD!" he shrieked, "I AM A GOD! I AM NOT A CAT! A GOD! I AM NOT NEUTERED! I'M NOT! I'M NOT! I'M NOT!"

He kept yelling, screaming until the guards came running to stand outside of his cell in bewildered horror. He screamed until he couldn't make another sound, and then he sank down onto his knees and rested his head against the glass wall of his prison, shaking with exhaustion.

For once, he thought, he had spoken the truth. This realm held nothing for him. He should have taken the neutered god-cat for what it was—an omen, and a bad one. Yes. Any realm in which "Loki" had been stripped of his manhood was one for which he was very ill suited indeed.

It was something he should have considered.


End file.
